Abstract: An exemplary signal processing unit includes 1) a microphone configured to detect one or more acoustic signals, 2) processing circuitry configured to process the one or more acoustic signals, and 3) a port configured to receive one or more electrodes that are configured to be placed on an outer surface of the head of a patient and to detect one or more central auditory potentials. The processing circuitry may be further configured to process the detected central auditory potentials.

Abstract: A device includes a hermetically sealed case with electronic circuitry housed within. One surface of the hermetically sealed case includes a metallic plate and a co-fired ceramic electrical feedthrough with a number of vias. The co-fired ceramic electrical feedthrough is hermetically joined to the metallic plate and a hybrid circuit is connected to the feedthrough.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a privacy management system 1) presenting, within a GUI, a patient list that initially includes a plurality of entries each comprising a plurality of obscured characters representative of patient information associated with a distinct patient included within a plurality of patients, 2) receiving user input representative of a search term comprising a sequence of one or more characters selected to identify a particular patient included within the plurality of patients, and 3) dynamically updating the patient list presented within the GUI in response to the user input by unobscuring a sequence of one or more obscured characters included in each entry of the patient list and that matches the sequence of one or more characters included in the search term and removing each entry included in the plurality of entries that does not include the search term from the patient list presented within the GUI.

Abstract: An exemplary method of reducing an effect of ambient noise within an auditory prosthesis system includes dividing an audio signal presented to an auditory prosthesis patient into a plurality of analysis channels each containing a frequency domain signal representative of a distinct frequency portion of the audio signal, determining a signal-to-noise ratio and a noise reduction gain parameter based on the signal-to-noise ratio for each of the frequency domain signals, applying noise reduction to the frequency domain signals in accordance with the determined noise reduction gain parameters to generate a noise reduced frequency domain signal corresponding to each of the analysis channels, and generating one or more stimulation parameters based on the noise reduced frequency domain signals and in accordance with at least one of a current steering stimulation strategy and an N-of-M stimulation strategy. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and systems of optimizing sound sensation of a cochlear implant patient include dividing an audio signal into a plurality of analysis channels, generating one or more tonality indices each representing a tonality of one of the analysis channels, generating one or more stimulation pulses configured to represent the audio signal in accordance with one or more stimulation parameters, and adjusting at least one of the stimulation parameters based on at least one of the tonality indices.

Abstract: A modular capsule includes a first therapeutic agent having a first solubility in biological fluids in an implanted environment and a second therapeutic agent having a second lower solubility in the biological fluids. The modular capsule is configured such that dissolution of the first therapeutic agent increases a rate of dissolution of the second therapeutic agent.

Abstract: Methods and systems for normalizing a spectral profile corresponding to an audio signal include detecting a spectral profile of an incoming audio signal and comparing the spectral profile of the incoming audio signal to a reference spectral profile. The methods further include using the comparison to determine an adjusted spectral profile that more closely matches the reference spectral profile than does the spectral profile of the incoming audio signal and applying electrical stimulation representative of the adjusted spectral profile to a cochlear implant patient.

Abstract: An exemplary signal processing unit includes a plurality of filters configured to divide an audio signal into a plurality of analysis channels, one or more detection stages configured to detect an energy level within each of said analysis channels, a selection stage configured to select one or more of said analysis channels for presentation to a patient, a synthesizer stage configured to synthesize said selected analysis channels, and a mapping stage configured to map said selected analysis channels to a number of stimulation channels within an implantable cochlear stimulator, wherein a total number of said analysis channels is greater than a total number of said stimulation channels.

Abstract: An implantable hermetic system includes a hermetic case and a hermetic feedthrough sealed into an aperture in the case. The hermetic feedthrough includes vias which form electrically conductive paths through the hermetic feedthrough. A header that includes integral interconnection contacts is attached to the case. The vias are electrically joined to the interconnection contacts.

Abstract: A system for delivering a therapeutic agent to biological tissue includes a surgically implantable lead to be inserted into the biological tissue. The surgically implantable lead includes a preformed cavity. A modular capsule is configured to be retained within the preformed cavity. The modular capsule includes a first therapeutic agent and a second therapeutic agent, wherein the first therapeutic agent elutes rapidly into the biological tissue and the second therapeutic agent elutes more slowly into the biological tissue.

Abstract: Systems for detecting one or more central auditory potentials include an implantable cochlear stimulator configured to be implanted within a patient and to generate a stimulation current in accordance with one or more stimulation parameters, a signal processing unit configured to be located external to the patient and to be communicatively coupled to the implantable cochlear stimulator, and one or more electrodes configured to be removably coupled to the signal processing unit. The electrodes are configured to detect the one or more central auditory potentials and the signal processing unit is configured to process the detected central auditory potentials.

Abstract: An exemplary cochlear implant system includes a sound processing assembly configured to be external to a patient and first and second extension members coupled to the sound processing assembly. The sound processing assembly includes a sound processing unit configured to process an audio signal and transmit one or more control parameters based on the audio signal to an implantable cochlear stimulator and a battery module configured to be electrically coupled to the sound processing unit and provide operating power to the sound processing unit. The first extension member has a distal portion configured to be coupled to a first ear of the patient and the second extension member has a distal portion configured to be coupled to a second ear of the patient. The first and second extension members typically extend back from the ears, thus positioning the sound processing assembly behind the patient's head.

Abstract: A hearing aid including a permanent magnet to be fixed at a patient's incus (26), an audio signal source (14), an audio signal processing unit (16) for processing audio signals from the audio signal source, a driver unit (18) including a coil (22) for generating a magnetic field (25) that vibrates the permanent magnet according to the processed audio signals in order to stimulate the patient's hearing, and a measurement arrangement (56, 58, 60) for measuring the magnetic coupling between the coil and the permanent magnet in order to adjust the position of the coil or the input signals to the coil provided by the driver unit.

Abstract: An exemplary method of dynamically adjusting an amount of noise reduction applied in an auditory prosthesis system includes dividing an audio signal presented to a patient into a plurality of analysis channels each containing a signal representative of a distinct frequency portion of the audio signal, determining an overall noise level of the signals within the analysis channels, and dynamically adjusting an amount of noise reduction applied to the signals within the analysis channels in accordance with the determined overall noise level. The dynamic adjustment of noise reduction is configured to minimize the amount of noise reduction applied to the signals within the analysis channels if the overall noise level is less than a predetermined minimum threshold. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A microcircuit cochlear electrode array and process for the manufacture thereof, the electrode array comprising first and second flat microcircuits comprising a plurality of laterally spaced longitudinally extending electrical conductors and longitudinally spaced electrode receiving pads extending laterally from the conductors, the first flat microcircuit being helically wrapped in a first direction along an axis with its longitudinally spaced electrode receiving pads exposed on an end of an outer surface hereof and the second flat microcircuit helically being wrapped in an opposite direction on and along an outer surface of the first helically wrapped microcircuit with its longitudinally spaced electrode receiving pads exposed on an outer surface thereof adjacent the exposed longitudinally spaced electrode receiving pads of the first microcircuit, and ring electrodes around and electrically secured to the electrode receiving pads of the first and second microcircuits.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes displaying a graphical user interface configured to include a patient list displayed therein, receiving user input representative of a search term comprising one or more characters selected to identify a particular patient included within a plurality of patients, dynamically updating the patient list in response to the received user input to only include a plurality of entries that contain the search term, each of the entries comprising patient information associated with a distinct one of the patients, and preventing one or more non-search term characters contained within each of the entries of the patient list from being displayed within the graphical user interface. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: An at least partially implantable hearing aid has an input transducer (26) for capturing audio signals from ambient sound, an audio signal processing unit (32) for processing the captured audio signals, an actuator (20) for stimulating a patient's hearing, and a driver unit (44) for driving the actuator. The actuator has a rigid housing (64) closed on at least one side by a vibration diaphragm (66) that is driven by a piezoelectric transducer (68, 88). The housing is designed to float in the cochlea in direct contact with the cochlear liquids in order to couple vibration energy from the diaphragm directly into the cochlear liquids.

Abstract: Methods and systems of spectral tilt optimization for a cochlear implant patient include applying electrical stimulation representative of an audio signal to a patient in accordance with a spectral tilt value and optimizing the spectral tilt value in response to a measured ability of the patient to recognize at least one attribute of the audio signal.

Abstract: An impact resistant implantable antenna coil assembly comprising a flat antenna coil having a plurality of laterally separated turns of wire encapsulated with a non-orthogonal force absorbing coil reinforcement in a flexible biocompatible polymer and axially anchored with the reinforcement to a feedthrough case. Thus configured, non-orthogonal impact forces applied to the antenna coil assembly are absorbed and lateral components thereof that would otherwise be reflected as tensile forces in the plane of the coil are prevented from forming or from fracturing wire within the antenna coil.

Abstract: A cochlear lead includes a plurality of electrode assemblies partially embedded in a flexible body configured to stimulate an auditory nerve from within a cochlea. Each of the electrode assemblies includes a flexible electrically conductive material forming a plurality of support structures and an electrode pad attached a support structure, the electrode pad having a surface that is configured to be exposed to cochlear tissue and fluids and has a charge transfer to the cochlear tissue and fluids that is higher than the flexible electrically conductive material.